This commentary is by Anne Watson, the mayor of Montpelier.
Nearly half of Vermonters are “actively alarmed about climate change,” according to the Vermont Public Interest Group. Despite our “green” reputation, Vermonters drive more and therefore have a higher carbon footprint than the average American.
Solutions for reducing Vermont’s carbon emissions from transportation are harder to come by than the heating and electricity sectors because our transportation systems are heavily dependent on decisions made by the auto industry. When it comes to gas mileage, hybrid engines, or all-electric options for vehicles, manufacturers are often only as clean as regulators require them to be.
When California adopted Advanced Clean Cars back in 2012, which outlined vehicle emissions rules, Vermont also stepped up as a leader and joined them in enacting its stricter emissions standards than what the federal government required. Now it is time for Vermont to lead again.
California recently adopted new vehicle rules that would require passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in California to have higher emission standards over time with the goal of eventually phasing out internal combustion engine passenger vehicles by 2035 in favor of electric cars and trucks.
The new rules — Advanced Clean Cars II, Advanced Clean Trucks, and Low NOX Heavy Duty Omnibus and Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for trucks and trailers — are a modification of their existing rules, which Vermont has already adopted. The Scott administration has the opportunity to address Vermonters’ alarm about climate change through executive action by directing the Agency of Natural Resources to adopt California’s new rules, as we have done in the past.
The Agency of Natural Resources has the authority to adopt these rules, and they need to be adopted by the end of 2022 in order for Vermont to meet the requirements of the Global Warming Solutions Act. This would be an easy win with a huge impact for the Scott administration. Here’s why:
- Since these rules affect only vehicles sold new in Vermont, it does not have a regressive impact on low wage earners in Vermont. It could even lead to more used low-carbon emission vehicles making their way into Vermont’s car market.
- Because Vermont is so dependent on cars and trucks for transportation, we need to have the lowest carbon-emitting vehicles possible available to the public. Vermonters want green solutions to meet their transportation needs.
- The auto industry is ready for this change. According to Canary Media, the “North American Council for Freight Efficiency tests indicated that electric trucks can meet about half of North America’s current road freight-hauling needs.”
- We must take action now to reduce our carbon emissions and to prevent the irreversible effects of runaway global warming.
As always, the best transportation options are to walk, bike, or take mass transportation, but if those are not options for commuters, we need to ensure that the vehicles available to Vermonters are as energy-efficient and as low-carbon-emitting as possible.
Please join me in encouraging the Scott administration to direct the Agency of Natural Resources to adopt California’s vehicle rule changes: Advanced Clean Cars II, Advanced Clean Trucks, and Low NOX Heavy Duty Omnibus and Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for trucks and trailers.
